Africa and Adoption in our Hearts

I remember the first time Steve suggested adoption.

I don't remember the exact date, but we were living in Colorado around the time Shiloh was born and I remember the conversation as Steve said, "We ought to consider adoption." I responded in my not so gracious way, "What? Seriously? No way!" Afterall, my adoption experience with my brother, Ralph, was a challenge for my family from the start and still continues to be so in many ways. But Ralph was much older than us - he was about 13 when we adopted him and my sister and I were 7 and 8 or so. He had been abused as a child and bounced around from foster home to foster home. It was a difficuly time for both Ralph and our family.

God has continued to bring Africa into our life. There are adoptive families I know personally, others I know through the blogging world. First, it was Andy and Jody. Then it was Bob and Tisha. I found A Bushel and a Peck, written by Lisa in Spokane. We fell in love with Chikumbuso and Mavuno Village and Charity Water.

Most recently, a friend from our homeschool co-op is adopting 2 kids from Ethiopia.

You can read her story here.

Just a month ago, I interviewed a family from our church, the Weiseths. The article is posted on the MHC Shoreline blog. (Although the title and the first 2 paragraphs are not mine but were added/changed by our Pastor.) We had them over for dinner last night. They were a joy to get to know. I've volunteered myself to write a series of articles on families in Mars Hill who have adopted, are in the process of adopting or would like to adopt in the future, not just from Africa, but domestic adoptions too.
But for me, Africa is in my heart and I long to have Africa in my home. I hope God will use our family to change the life of one or two orphaned African babies. Steve's job with ADT has an adoption benefit. They pay $5,000 toward an adoption after 6 months and he's almost 4 months in now. Although we aren't quite ready to start the application process - we continue to hope, pray and dream that one day soon, African adoption will be a part of our story too.